Tebogo Msimanga
Home Affairs Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi on Friday outlined additional services which resumed during Alert Level 2 of the Lockdown.
Minister Motsoaledi said all temporary Identity Certificates issued during the period of the National State of Disaster that have not yet expired on the date of commencement of this Directions, are hereby extended up to 31 October 2020.
The Department has received a report from the Department of Basic Education indicating that there are 637 767 learners who do not have IDs. Motsoaledi added that Deputy Minister Mr Njabulo Nzuza is leading the initiative of ensuring that learners are issued with their IDs.
“South Africans who are abroad and need to return to SA can apply for emergency passports. The eHomeAffairs portal remains deactivated as new applications are still not accepted in the current level of the lockdown. The refugee reception offices and borders throughout the county remain closed”
Minister said since the beginning of the lockdown until 21 August 2020, their staff assisted more than 1.6 million people who visited Home Affairs offices with crucial enabling documents.
He concluded by saying, from the beginning of the lockdown on 27 March 2020 until Wednesday, 26 August 2020, immigration officials assisted 839 004 people to cross borders under the permissible conditions.
